


How to Save the World Without Really Trying

by Twird96



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Gen, MuffinLance, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, amnesia zuko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24298009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twird96/pseuds/Twird96
Summary: Waking up without his memory on the wrong side of the war may be the best thing that could have happened for Zuko, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the World.
Relationships: Lee & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 49
Kudos: 585
Collections: Good_or_Decent_Zuko_With_a_dash_of_Iroh_Azula_Gaang, avatar tingz





	1. Li or Lee?

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [OUTLINE: Amnesia!Zuko Joins the Earth Army](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20775464) by [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/pseuds/MuffinLance). 



> Inspired by MuffinLance and their amazing writing, Specifically the Amniesia!Zuko AU, wich is amazing and you should read it. MuffinLance gave blanket permission is is aware that I am writing this.  
> Also know as the What the fuck Li AU.  
> I am taking some creative liberties both with the Outline, the shows story line, how much time actually passes, how the military works and a lot more. I also took liberty with the names of the OCs, many are after random ATLA or LOK minor characters.  
> I hope you like it. I have about 7,000 words written and I promised myself I am going to finish a fic this time. Please be forgiving, I haven't written an stories in years.

Pain. Head pounding, too much light.

A hit of nausea pushed down.

A bed, soft blankets on his body.

His arms feel too heavy to move.

Voices nearby, concentating on listening.

“Look kid, the Earth Kindom always appreciates good soldiers. But the uniforms don’t come in your size. Give yourself a few years, we’ll gladly take you. We’ll help your brother but you two need to go home.” Said an older man. He was wearing green armor and had a kind smile but rough eyes. The air smelt of heavy cleaners and rubbing alcohol. It made his eye itch, but he ignored it.

“I can fight! Li gave me a knife, see? And he trained me with his swords! We’re going to learn to fight and protect our nation! Just like Sensu! We even have our paperwork, see?! The recruiters said we get more medical care then we’ll ever imagine with the army!” Said a child thrusting papers into the man’s hands.

The man grumbled, something like ‘recruiters foisting children on me’, ‘like they are telling the villagers it's gonna get them killed’,and ‘demotion to the Foggy Swamp’.

“Well Lee- wait, Li and Lee?” Asked the man, raising his eyebrows.

“We’re actually cousins, both named after Granddad. But he’s practically my brother! Ever since his parents passed he's been with us.” the childr, Li - or Lee?, insisted.

“You really- no, I do not want the headache. Fine. Whatever. Lee, if your brother really wants to stay, he’s old enough. But you are a few years shy of where we want you to be.” The man insisted, before turning towards the bed. “Ah, your cousin is awake. Li, the medic said you’ll be fine. Just keep the bandage on the cut, apply the salve twice a day, and you’ll be strong as the mountains in no time.”

“Li? Is that my name?” Li asked. The man paused and blinked.

“What do you mean?” the man asked.

“I don’t… my head hurts. Who are you?” He asked, looking at Lee and the unnamed man.

The man sighed. “Lee, please go fetch the healer. He was hit harder than we thought,” the man insisted.

“I don’t know where the healer would be… Where am I?” Li asked, looking around the tent confused.

“No you- okay, Little Lee, go fetch the healer from the Mess tent. I am getting the Captain, this is officially above my paygrade. Big Li, stay.” He said, raising from where he was sitting. As he walked away, Li heard him mutter ‘Just because I have five kids does not mean I want to deal with every underage wannabe solder’ and ‘the Foggy Swamp for sure’. Li wondered if it would be better to go back to bed. He looks over to the paperwork the man left behind. Maybe the paperwork would explain what had happened to him.

Name: Li Age: 16 Mother: Jin, Merchant, Deceased. Father: Mushi, Merchant, Deceased.

Note: Has been living with Uncle Gansu, Ostride-Pig farmer. His parents were killed by fire nation soldiers while Li was visiting his uncle.

Li could not breathe. Mother - the name did not stir anything, but the word made him think of warm hugs and sitting by the turtle-duck farm. Father - wanting to be honorable and make him proud. The idea of his mother gone and unable to to make his father proud ever again, bother felt right, like truth, but wrong like the truth you wish you never had to face. But Li is his father’s son. He will face the true and in his father’s memory, he will join this army and avenge the deaths!

\--

Captain Pao work up this morning with a feeling of foreboding and a headache. When a cart pulled up this morning with two ‘new recruits’, one unconscious and one a child, he knew the cause of the bad feeling (He is going to make those recruiters wish that they had sent themselves to the front instead, mark his words). As Lieutenant Bujing walked towards him, both the bad feeling and the headache got worse.

“Sir, may I recommend whoever sent the cart this morning get some one way reassignments to the Foggy Swamp?” Lieutenant Bujing asked. Captain Pao winced, what could be bad enough Bujing would send-

“They send us cousins Lee and Li. Yes, that's their names, named after the same grandfather. Apparently, Big Lee fell while fixing the tiles on the family’s roof and hit his head. Town doesn’t have a healer, but apparently some dumbass recruiters promised the family medical care today and on, so long as they signed up for the army. Even helped the SHU DAMNED ten year old- ehem. Sorry sir. The ten year old, Little Lee, has fully filled out paperwork. I do not know if they are trying to waste our time or think this is all a big joke.”

“Are we able to help the older boy out?” Asked Captain Pao, already planning on taking the money out of the recruiter’s pay.

“Oh it gets better, Big Li has amnesia and did not even recognize his cousin from the hit on the head.” Lieutenant Bujing explained.

Captain Pao sighed. “Let me talk to this and sort this mess out. And Lieutenant Bujing? Your recommendation is heard and approved. Those recruiters will be picking elbow leeches out of their shoes within the month.”

\--

“Lee and Li?”

“Yes sir.” The older one says, beginning to rise out of bed, despite Healer Moku’s efforts to push him back down.

“Calm down son, not need to rise, you aren’t one of my men.” Captain Pao said.

“But I want to be! I have my paperwork, I wanna fight!” Big Lee insisted.

“Yeah, let us fight those dusty bastards!” Little Lee jumped.

Captain Pao gave him a look and the child shrunk back. “I apologize for the… overzealous recruiters. Let us help with your injury and we will send you both back home.”

“No, it would not be fair! If I am a soldier, I can be treated, otherwise I am being a burden on your supplies!” Insisted Big Lee.

Captain Pao shook his head. “We can spare some time and a few bandages. The recruiters will take care of the cost”

“That is not honorable, I must pay my debts, I can fight, I-”

"It's fine-"

“I must! I must regain my honor! I must fight the fire nation! My father-” Li yelled before cutting himself off as the tent went quiet.

“Son, we’ve all lost people to the fire nation. Rest. Heal. We’ll send you home and if in a few months when the grieve heals we can talk again.” Captain Pao paused, “When did they pass?”

“Uhm,”

“Two months ago!” Jumped in Little Lee, giving Big Li a nervous look. Captain Pao’s eyes narrow. Something is wrong with this, he will need to investigate-

“Sir, three more were taken in the latest scrim-” A soldier walked into the tent while looking at a report, but paused as he saw unfamiliar faces in the tent.

“Lee. Li. Both of you stay here. We will talk tomorrow. Rest.” Captain Pao insisted before leaving with the soldier.

Healer Moku gave them both a kind smile. “We cannot due much for your memories young man, but sometimes the best medicine is a warm meal and a good rest. Let me fetch you something from the mess tent. It won’t be as good as your mother’s cooking, but it’ll be filling.” Healer Moku promised before departing.

Li and Lee look at each other. “I wanna help!” Insists Little Lee. Big Li looks at his cousin, considering.

“Tonight, get me that report. I got an idea.”

(Miles away, Iroh gets a bad feeling. He decides to ride through the night instead of making camp. Where is his foolish nephew and what kind of trouble is he into already?!)


	2. You Must Recruit Li

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple Fire Nation Camp is no Pohuai Stronghold.

Captain Pao woke up with a continued headache from yesterday and an upset healer yelling outside his tent. It is too early for this, maybe he could roll over and go back to sleep?

“Captain, Big Li is missing and Little Lee refuses to say where he went. We’ve checked the entire camp!” Healer Moku explains. Captain Pao swore.

“He has a damn head injury, how far could he have gotten?” 

\--

“He’s fighting bad guys! Li is awesome, you gotta let us join! He’s so cool and great with-” Little Lee began before Captain Pao interrupted.

“Young man, your cousin should be resting, he had a Oma damned head injury. You should be encouraging him to heal, not helping him leave. You both need to head back home-”

“Hi guys, Li here” Came from the tent flap.

“Li! Did you kick butt?” Asked Little Lee, jumping up to his cousin.

“Kick butt- Li, where in the Kingdom did you run off to?” Demanded Captain Pao. Li puffed up.

“I am helping you! I am joining the Earth Kingdom Army!” Li insisted.

“Army members follow orders! I told you to stay,” Insisted Captain Pao.

“You also said I could not join. So I did not have an order per say.” Li retorted.

“Oma and Shu, why would I recruit a boy who gives me such a headache.” Captain Pao asked, rubbing his temples.

“Well, how about this?” Asked Li, shoving papers to Captain Pao. He took them and as he read each page, his eyebrows went higher.

A map with a path and a X marking northeast of where their Intel suspected the Fire Nation Camp.

A rough map of the camp, marking prisoners, supplies, officer quarters.

A guard schedule for nighttime; two outer patrols and one inner patrol, a single man watching the prisoners.

A potential plan: sneak in, two teams at midnight, one to take the prison guard and free their men, one to encase the officer’s tent in stone to lock them in.

“Li, how were you not caught?” Captain Pao breathed. His men had been looking for this group, a small splinter cell who had been burning fields and causing supply issues for months.

“I am good at sneaking around. When you are good at something, it doesn’t matter what you remember or how much your head hurts, it’s instinct.” Li insisted.

“Li! You have a concussion and you need to be resting! Sit, I will bring you some tea to help with the pain!” Healer Moku insisted. Li made an upset face at the word tea. Captain Pao, in that moment, said fuck it.

“Drink the tea. We’ll need you in top shape tonight. Apparently you are just the kind of headache we need around here.” Captain Pao said. Li’s face lit up; without the scar he would look younger than sixteen, but the mark on his face aged him.

“Yay! We’re going to kick Fire Nation butt!” Cheered Lee.

“You are staying here if Healer Moku needs to tie you to a chair,” Captain Pao insisted, standing to begin a battle plan for tonight. Lee gave Li a sad look but the older boy shook his head. Good.

Captain Pao already had enough of a headache with one Li; he is NOT dealing with two. 

\--

“I refuse to let you fight without knowing how good you are with those swords.” Captain Pao told Li, that afternoon.

“But you said-”

“The proper response is Sir, yes sir,” Captain Pao interrupted, giving Li a stern look, “If you wanna join my army, you need to get used to it.” Li fell into perfect military rest. This prickled at Captain Pao’s mind; too perfect to have never been in the military, too young to be a deserter, besides what deserted would go right back to the military and insist-  
“Sir, yes sir!” Li answers, and Captain Pao pushes that thought and his headache away. Later, when his men are rescued, he will return to those thoughts.

“You can come with us and leave your swords behind; you can help carry any wounded prisoners back, bring supplies back, and help. Or you prove to me those duel duos of yours are not toys, you bring them and are an asset. Your choice.” Captain Pao explained.

“Sir, I would like to prove myself.” Li insisted, still at parade rest.

“Good, Lieutenant Bujing, please spare with Recruit Li.” Captain Pao requested, sitting back and preparing to see if Li knew the basics or-

Lieutenant Bujing is disarmed with Li standing over him. 

“Uhm,” Li began, looking nearly as surprised as Lieutenant Bujing. He hesitantly offered the Lieutenant a hand up. Bujing took it, mouthing what looked like ‘What-the-actual-fuck’.

“Recruit Li. Do you by chance know what level of swordsmanship you are?” Captain Pao asked, trying to keep the surprise out of his voice. He did not do a good job.

“I-I am not sure,” Lee stated. Captain Pao looked at him, and decided he believed him; he seemed honest but Captain Pao would need to hear him lie to know for sure.

“Lieutenant Bujing, again, but as if you were facing an intermediate swordsman.” Captain Pao requested. Lieutenant Bujing had served under Captain Pao for a long time. Pao could see him start at intermediate but switched to a journeyman within three minutes and by six minutes, was fighting at master level. No back woods, farmboy or sixteen year old merchant child would be at this level, most noble’s children would not be able to afford the training, let alone no name merchants- No, after he saves his man! He will watch Li, but getting a feel for his still, Captain Pao could still take him, especially if he earthbends.

“Enough. Recruit Li, you may bring your swords tonight. You may consider this your chance to prove yourself. Do well, and you will be Private Li by tomorrow morning,” Promised Captain Pao, leading Li to smile brightly at him, like a sunflower who had found sunlight.

“And we’ll be practicing weekly! Most of our men prefer to earthbend! I must be getting rusty, otherwise you would not have gotten me down so fast!” Insists Lieutenant Bujing, slapping Li’s shoulder. Li looks surprised, then smiles even wider.

“I’ll make that an order; I cannot believe you were beaten by a teen.” Chuckled Captain Pao. Perhaps he can set up some soldiers to watch, maybe set up a betting ring? If his men wish to gamble, Captain Pao will happily separate the young fools from their money.

“Li, Li, you’re gonna teach me that right!” Lee asked. Li frowned.

“I’m not going to have much time if I’m here,” Began Li, but when Lee’s face fell, he was quick to add “But during leave, I’ll be sure to teach you everything I know!” 

\--

It all goes smoothly. The smoothest plan they had in months and it was not even Captain Pao’s; his headache wasn’t going to end anytime soon, was it? It only gets worse when they get back to camp and Little Lee runs up to one of the freed prisoners and begins to cry.

“Big brother! We- we didn’t even know you were captured!” Lee wails into his brother’s shirt. Private Sensu did not even glance at his surprised looking cousin.

Captain Pao wondered if he could get approved for medical leave because of a never ending headache.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Li was hurt before the news from the front came. Because I got too far ahead before I remembered that Sensu's family knew he was captured and his dad went to help. Oops.
> 
> As always, thank you to MuffinLance for letting me play with this idea. I'm up to 12,000 words which is more than I've written for anything not work related in a long time. I've hit a bit of a block, so any feedback or ideas are welcome so help the creative juices flow. I have a lot of feelings and would love to talk about them.
> 
> I plan on one chapter a week ish? So long as I keep my buffer chapters up I hope to keep at that level


End file.
